1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a split fold down rear vehicle seat. More particularly the present invention relates to a split fold down rear vehicle seat that also has a reclining seat back. The present invention also relates to a split fold down rear vehicle seat in which the seat cushion is displaced downward and forward into the foot area and the seat back folds down into the area occupied by the seat cushion when in an upright or seating position.
2. Description of the Related Art
Folded seats and particularly split folded seats of the type common in vehicles having a rear cargo area either allow the vehicle to seat additional occupants or provide additional cargo space. Generally the seat is folded by the seat back pivoting at its lower edge and rotating the top edge forward and downward onto the seat cushion or into the area occupied by the seat cushion in its seating use position. Generally if the seat cushion does not move the folded seat back rests above the same plane as the cargo area. To overcome problem in the past the seat cushion either has generally be rotated forward in a manner similar to the seat back before or after the seat back has been rotated. This however requires additional operation by the operator to fold the seat such that the cargo area floor is in a single plane from front to back.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,763 issued Oct. 9, 1984 to Hamatani et al teaches a split seat where the seat back may be rotated forward and downward over the corresponding seat cushion or the seat cushion may first be rotated forward and upward and then the corresponding seat cushion may be rotated forward and downward into the space previously occupied by the seat cushion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,541 issued Sep. 26, 1989 to Wainwright teaches a folding seat where the seat back is first rotated forward and downward onto the seat cushion top surface and then the seat unit is rotated forward and downward folding the complete folding seat into the foot space in front of the seat cushion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,336 issued Dec. 28, 1993 to Schubring et al teaches a seat having a folding seat back that folds forward and downward onto the upper surface of the seat cushion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,046 issued Apr. 21, 1998 to Leuchtmann et al teaches a folding seat back split seat having a hinge allowing the seat back pivoting position to be farther forward over the seat cushion.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,834 issued Feb. 19, 2002 to Couasnon teaches a folding seat where the seat back is lowered by having the seat cushion move forward and the seat back is rotated forward and downward while the seat back lower edge is moved backward.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,558 issued Apr. 16, 2002 to Couasnon teaches a folding seat back member where the seat assembly is mounted on a track allowing longitudinal motion of the seat assembly at predetermined times.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,406,084 issued Jun. 18, 2002 to de Campos et al and the corresponding U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0043815 published Apr. 18, 2002 teaches two rows of folding seats having a board on the rear most row to cover the forward row to provide a smooth cargo area floor.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0075946 published Apr. 24, 2003 to Neale et al teaches a folding seat where the seat back is first rotated forward and downward and then the folded seat back and seat cushion are simultaneously rotated on the seat cushion front edge forward and upward.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0080601 published May 1, 2003 to Charras et al teaches an articulating hinge for use with a folding seat to allow for the seat back to be locked in intermediate positions between fully upright and fully folded down.
Thus, there is still a need for a folding split seat in which the seat cushion and seat back are moved from a seating position to a storage position without the need of multiple folding operations.